Effect of transfer factor on myelosuppression and related morbidity induced by chemotherapy in acute leukaemias

The aim of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of Transfer Factor (TF) in accelerating the haematopoietic recovery in patients with acute leukaemias (AL), following intensive therapy to induce remission of the disease. Twenty-two patients with different types of AL (16 AML, three BC-CML and three ALL) were studied. The patients were divided in two groups. Group 1 (eight AML, two BC-CML and one ALL) received, after myelosuppression induced by chemotherapy, TF (1 unit daily, subcutaneous) until leucocyte count was > 2.5 x 10(9)/l and platelet count > 80 x 10(9)/l. Group 2 was considered the control group and did not receive TF. Treatment with TF accelerated the recovery of neutrophils, leucocytes, platelets (P < 0.001) and haemoglobin (P < 0.01). As a logical consequence, incidence and severity of infection and haemorrhage were lesser in the TF group than in the control group. There was no evidence that TF accelerated the re-growth of leukaemic cells. It seems that TF is safe in AL, accelerating haematopoietic recovery. However, it should be used with caution until results of additional trials become available.